The invention relates to a method for providing preformed conductor pieces, in particular optical waveguide pieces. The invention further relates to a connecting component for connecting the ends of two preformed conductor pieces. The invention additionally relates to a conductor drum.
Optical waveguides are increasingly used for a wide variety of applications. For their application in motor vehicles, in particular, they have to be produced or preformed in large numbers in different lengths, so that they are then available for the vehicle-specific installation. For that purpose, the optical waveguide pieces which have been preformed in the required length are usually provided in the form of individual lines with protective caps at their ends, in order to protect the light entry and exit windows against damage and contamination, and are made available for final assembly having been sorted in individual containers in a predetermined manner. This handling is complicated due to the space required and the numerous manual work steps and, furthermore, this process is associated with the risk of damage to the preformed optical waveguide pieces, for example caused by kinking.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method for providing preformed conductor pieces, a connector for connecting preformed conductor pieces and a drum configuration which overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known methods and devices of this general type and which simplify the provision or the placing at disposal of preformed optical waveguide pieces for the final assembly of the preformed optical waveguide pieces.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for providing preformed flexible conductor pieces, which includes the steps of:
providing individual preformed conductor pieces;
introducing and retaining one end of one of the preformed conductor pieces in a first receiving duct of a connecting component;
introducing and retaining one end of a further one of the preformed conductor pieces in a second receiving duct of the connecting component, the second receiving duct of the connecting component opening on a side of the connecting component opposite to an opening of the first receiving duct of the connecting component;
introducing and retaining a further end of the further one of the preformed conductor pieces in a receiving duct of a further connecting component for forming a connected conductor; and
winding the connected conductor onto a drum.
In accordance with an advantageous mode of the invention, preformed optical waveguide pieces are used as the preformed conductor pieces.
In accordance with the method according to the invention, the individual preformed optical waveguide pieces are connected to form an xe2x80x9cendlessxe2x80x9d optical waveguide and in the process are wound onto a drum. The individual optical waveguide pieces can be unwound serially from the drum and are available for the individual installation. The space requirements, the number of handling steps and the process reliability are notably improved compared with the conventional methods.
In accordance with a further mode of the invention, the ends of the conductor pieces are pushed into the receiving ducts thus causing an elastic deformation.
In accordance with a yet further mode of the invention, the ends of the conductor pieces are provided with connection parts, which respectively end in a connection pin which is pushed into the respective receiving duct.
With the objects of the invention in view there is also provided, in combination with preformed conductor pieces having end regions, a connector, including:
a connecting component having a substantially cylindrical shape defining an axial direction and having mutually opposite end faces;
the connecting component being formed with receiving ducts at the mutually opposite end faces for connecting the end regions of the preformed conductor pieces; and
the receiving ducts extending substantially in the axial direction.
With the connecting component, the individual optical waveguide pieces can be connected serially to one another in a simple manner, thereby producing the xe2x80x9cendlessxe2x80x9d optical waveguide which can be wound up on a drum.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the receiving ducts extend from the mutually opposite end faces along the axial direction such that the connecting component is formed with a through duct.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the connecting component has internal walls bounding the receiving ducts. The internal walls have a conical shape.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the connecting component is an overall flexible component.
With the objects of the invention in view there is further provided, a drum configuration, including:
a drum body; and
a conductor, in particular an optical waveguide, wound on the drum body, the conductor being formed of individual conductor pieces, in particular optical waveguide pieces, and connecting components, the individual conductor pieces having end regions, the connecting components connecting the individual conductor pieces at the end regions.
The invention can be used for a wide variety of conductor pieces or long objects, which are preformed or prefabricated in particular with regard to their length. The invention may be used for hose pieces for conducting pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, electrical conductor pieces; also cords, threads, etc., which conduct or transmit forces, for example.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method for providing preformed conductor pieces, in particular optical waveguide pieces, a connecting component for connecting preformed conductor pieces, and embodied in an optical waveguide drum, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.